Bachelor in Biology

How We’re Different

Aquinas biology graduates enjoy acceptance rates of nearly 100% into physician assistant, physical therapy and dental programs Aquinas biology graduates have a medical school acceptance rate approximately 20% above the national average. Since 2000, nearly one-third of Aquinas biology graduates have gone on to earn doctoral degrees in biology or health-related fields (human medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, etc.). An additional 14% of Aquinas biology graduates have gone on to earn a masters degree in similar fields (physician assistant, public health, health administration, etc.) since 2000. For five years running, Aquinas College biology graduates have scored above the 90th percentile on the Major Field Test, a standardized test of biology knowledge administered by more than 300 colleges & universities across the U.S. Up to two qualified Aquinas students per year can be admitted to Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine through an Early Assurance Partnership between the two institutions. Qualified Aquinas biology majors can receive elective biology credits for laboratory research conducted at theVan Andel Institute. At least two faculty members from the Aquinas College Biology Department participate in the Mohler-Thompson Summer Scholars program each summer, offering stipends for qualified biology majors who engage in independent research. Each course and lab taken by an Aquinas biology major is taught by a full-time faculty member who has earned a Ph.D. in her/his field of expertise. Alumni of the biology program have earned graduate or professional degrees at prestigious universities like Brown, Cornell, Michigan, Northwestern, Notre Dame and U.C. Berkeley and Harvard.

Major Requirements

Thirty-six (36) semester hours in Biology. Required courses: BY160, 161, 162, 328 and 499; minimum six (6) hours of field biology selected from: BY241, 264, 275 and 352; Chemistry Requirement: CY111, CY112, CY211 and CY212; Math Requirement: MS114 or higher.

Strongly recommended: CY325; MS121 and 252; PC201/202 or PC213/214.

Biology majors must attend twelve Science Division presentations and take the Major Field Test in Biology. At least twenty (20) semester hours of biology coursework must be completed at Aquinas College. Biology majors must maintain a G.P.A. of at least 2.00 in biology courses taken at Aquinas. Only courses with a grade of C– or higher will count toward the biology major. The major in Biology meets major teaching certificate requirements. Only courses with a grade of C or higher will count toward a teaching major.

Courses

• BY160 Principles of Biology (4) NL
• BY161 Botany (3)
• BY162 Zoology (3)
• BY328 Genetics (5) WI
• BY499 Biology Seminar (2) SC
• BY241 Ornithology (3)
• BY264 Plant Taxonomy (3)
• BY275 Aquatic Field Biology (3)
• BY352 Ecology (3)
• CY111 General Chemistry (4) NL
• CY112 General Chemistry (4)
• CY211 Organic Chemistry (4)
• CY212 Organic Chemistry (4)
• MS114 College Algebra and Trigonometry (4) MS
• CY325 Biochemistry (4)
• MS121 Calculus I (4) MS
• MS252 Statistics (3)
• PC201 General Physics: Mechanics, Sound, Heat (4) NL
• PC202 General Physics: Electricity, Magnetism, Light, Nuclear Physics (4)
• PC213 General Physics with Calculus: Mechanics, Sound, Heat (4)
• PC214 General Physics with Calculus: Electricity, Magnetism, Light, Nuclear Physics (4)

The close-knit educational environment at Aquinas develops students who thrive in all dimensions of life. Learn more, in our students' words about the Aquinas experience and the Dominican pillars of prayer, study, service, and community.

The Dominican tradition is two-fold: contemplative and communal. At Aquinas, we are committed to gathering for liturgical prayer nourished by God's Word and the Spirit. Prayer leads us into the deeper Truth needed to live out God's call for us in the world. We commit ourselves to a love of learning, both formal and informal. This necessitates an openness to learn from the most unlikely sources as well as tried and true scholarship. Aquinas encourages students to engage in service projects and service-learning programs. It also offers preparation for careers that will enable graduates to spread the truths that they have learned - "to make a difference in the world."